Worcester police seek answers in killing of high school student

WORCESTER — Eighteen-year-old Joseph Safo-Agyare's parents were planning their son's graduation party; they never thought they would be planning the young man's burial instead.

As police continue to investigate the fatal shooting of the North High School senior, his father is hoping those responsible are caught or come forward.

"Somebody did it and the person is out there," said the teen's father, Franklin Safo-Agyare. "Who wants someone who is killing kids to be out there? Nobody wants to be burying their child. Whoever did it, I'm just praying to God they find who did it and whoever did it is brought to justice."

Joseph Safo-Agyare, who lived in Worcester and in Charlton with his mother, was shot sometime Saturday. It appears the shooting occurred at Hacker Court, a small side street tucked away in the Southgate Street area of the city. It was the fourth killing in Worcester this year.

People living at 6 Hacker Court, where the shooting reportedly occurred, shut the door when a reporter asked for a comment. There were candles on the porch of the building.

Police learned about the shooting Saturday morning when they saw a car speeding in the area of Foster Street about 12:45 a.m. The car's lights were not on.

The car pulled into St. Vincent Hospital near the emergency entrance. When officers headed toward the car, a woman got out and began banging on the emergency room door, police said. The woman said someone had been shot.

Joseph Safo-Agyare was carried to the door by another passenger in the car. Police were told the shooting occurred at 6 Hacker Court.

Officers headed to the scene and checked the area. Drugs were found inside the building, police said.

Residents of Hacker Court said they did not hear anything during the night. One man who lives in the neighborhood told the Telegram & Gazette he heard yelling sometime late Friday night into Saturday morning. The yelling came from the area of 6 Hacker Court.

Investigators "conducted numerous interviews and have received little cooperation," police said in a news release Sunday night.

Franklin Safo-Agyare, 43, said his son recently finished attaining all the credits he needed to graduate from North High School on June 6. The young man had played running back for the high school's football team and had attended St. John's High School in Shrewsbury, according to his father.

Joseph Safo-Agyare's family was planning his graduation party. They were going to surprise him with a car. He had been working and was excited to pay for his own cellphone.

The elder Safo-Agyare believes his son attended a party at Hacker Court, but has no idea what happened there.

"I don't know how he ended up in that area," Franklin Safo-Agyare said. "I tell him all the time to stay away from that area."

Joseph Safo-Agyare was one of four brothers. He has a 22-year-old brother, a 12-year-old brother and a 9-year-old brother. The two oldest brothers know Joseph has been killed. Franklin Safo-Agyare doesn't know how the youngest will take the news.

Detectives arrived at the elder Safo-Agyare's Worcester home about 6 a.m. Saturday and told him his son had died.

"I want the city to be safe. I have three other boys and a daughter who live in the city," he said. "I want whoever is responsible for this to come forward. Nobody's child should be treated like this. You never think it is going to happen to you."